〜であれ: 'No Matter What / Whether... Or' (Meaning + Examples)
Conceding a condition, then dismissing it
〜であれ grants that something is (or might be) the case, and then states that the main clause holds no matter which case it turns out to be. It's common with question words like 誰 (だれ), 何 (なに), or いかなる ("whatever kind of"), and it's frequently doubled to contrast two options.
やったんは、相手が誰であれ、全力で向き合う。
やったんは、あいてが だれであれ、ぜんりょくで むきあう。
Yattan faces every opponent with full effort, no matter who they are.
誰であれ = 'whoever it is, it doesn't matter.'
学歴であれ、経験であれ、能力があれば採用する。
がくれきであれ、けいけんであれ、のうりょくが あれば さいようする。
Whether it's academic background or experience, if there's ability, we'll hire.
Doubled であれ contrasts two possibilities: 'A or B, either way.'
いかなる困難であれ、モチは乗り越えてみせると笑った。
いかなる こんなんであれ、モチは のりこえて みせると わらった。
Mochi smiled and said she'd overcome any difficulty, whatever it might be.
Attaching after a noun (or a question word + noun)
〜であれ attaches directly to a noun, standing in for "even if it is 〜." It's often preceded by 誰・何・いつ・どこ or いかなる to build "no matter who/what/when/where/what kind."
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Plain noun | 名詞 + であれ | 規則であれ、守らなければならない |
| Question word + noun | 誰／何／いかなる〜 + であれ | 誰であれ、規則は守らなければならない |
| Doubled for contrast | AであれBであれ | 学生であれ社会人であれ |
規則は、能力があれば採用するという方針であれ、必ず守らなければならない。
きそくは、のうりょくが あれば さいようするという ほうしんであれ、かならず まもらなければ ならない。
Rules must always be followed, whatever the hiring policy may be.
Don't confuse with 〜にせよ / 〜にしても
〜にせよ and 〜にしても also mean "even if / granting that," but they're slightly less formal and attach more freely to verbs and adjectives, not just nouns (行くにせよ行かないにせよ, "whether you go or not"). 〜であれ is more literary and legalistic — it favors nouns and question words, and shows up in written rules, speeches, and proverbs rather than casual speech.
The short version
- 〜であれ = "whether... or" / "no matter what/who" — concedes a condition, then says it changes nothing.
- Attaches to: a noun, often after 誰／何／いかなる, or doubled as AであれBであれ.
- Nuance/register: formal, written-style; comes from the concessive of である.
- Don't confuse with: 〜にせよ／〜にしても, which are more colloquial and attach more broadly.
Practice it
Choose であれ for sentences that mean 'no matter what/who' or 'whether... or'.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
＿＿＿、能力があれば採用する。
More N1 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜かたわら — 〜かたわら means 'while also (doing)' — a main job or role carried out alongside a second, ongoing activity. Formal and written, it implies both things run in parallel over time, not just once.
- 〜かつて — かつて is a formal adverb meaning 'once,' 'formerly,' or 'in the past' — it points to a past state or time and often implies things are different now, unlike ever or a simple past tense.
- 〜きらいがある — 〜きらいがある means 'tends to,' 'has a tendency to' — almost always describing an undesirable habit or pattern of behavior, in a formal, slightly critical register.
- 〜きっての — 〜きっての attaches after a place, group, or era to mean 'the foremost ... in/of [that group]' — always followed by a noun naming the superlative person or thing, like 業界きっての実力者.
- 〜極めて — 極めて (きわめて) is a formal adverb meaning 'extremely' or 'exceedingly' — placed before an adjective or verb to emphasize a very high degree, common in news, reports, and academic writing.
- 〜くらいなら — 〜くらいなら means 'rather than (do something bad), I'd prefer...' — it frames an option as so undesirable that almost any alternative, even a bad one, beats it. Often paired with ましだ or だったら.